


Dying is an Art

by booksnerdharrypotter



Series: percy angstson [4]
Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan
Genre: This Is Sad, Underwater, kidnapped under the sea, tortured sorta
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-26
Updated: 2016-12-26
Packaged: 2018-09-09 02:34:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,385
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8872402
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/booksnerdharrypotter/pseuds/booksnerdharrypotter
Summary: "Your friend will take a long time to die. After all the trouble he’s caused me, I wouldn’t dream of killing him quickly."-Polybotes promised revenge on Percy Jackson after his take down of the giants, and finally, the son of Poseidon has been captured.





	

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first fan fiction on here! I've written it for the pjo secret santa on instagram, with this being my gift for @sleighingpercy. 
> 
> I hope you enjoy xx

_ Death. _

His heart hammering, head pounding, and wounds burning; his body felt as if it was on fire. A thumping headache was situated at the base of his skull, and starvation gnawed at the deepest pits of his stomach. Scratches and grazes lined his loose skin, having been torn and beat by the net and chains that imprisoned him.

Absolute torture was the only way to describe it; Percy Jackson wished he was dead.

A deep gurgling rose from Percy’s throat, bubbling and spluttering from the poison that filled every crevice of his skin. His hands clawed at the sources of his discomfort, attempting to rid himself of all toxins. The weighted net made it hard for any efforts to escape, leaving Percy entangled at the bottom of the ocean with no hope for accomplishment. Déjà vu was a constant train of thought on the railway that was his mind, reminding Percy of his time with Jason and Kymopoleia on the way to the island of Delos. They weren’t pleasant memories, and Percy was having a hard time coming to terms with the fact that it was happening  _ again. _

 

Just how terrible could one person’s luck be?

Percy had just taken a trip under the sea in an attempt to help the poor fish stuck in the reef, when _ thud _ ; a horribly familiar net had entrapped him on the ocean floor. Riptide was too far of a reach away, and his arm wasn’t long enough to grasp the glowing blade. Oily gas began billowing around Percy’s golden prison, and a sound of despair escaped his lips.  _ “No…” _

The son of Poseidon began to thrash wildly in his trappings, and his clothes snagged and caught on the net. The swelling clouds descended upon him, and he began to choke; horrible sounds tore free from his mouth. Percy had never known pain like this, except of course the other time it happened before. He could finally understand the way Akhlys herself had felt when he turned her own power against her, the poison seeping it her own skin. It was like a rolling cloud of sinking death, the noxious, pouring smoke drawing inexorably closer. 

Son of the sea, to die in his own domain.

“Perseus Jackson,” A figure called, taking long strides across the ocean floor. “We meet again.”

No words could fall forth from the boy; only the dismayed rasping sounds of one being suffocated. Percy’s hands closed around his throat, as his fingers grasped at the pain; his face turning mottled shades of green, and his eyes widened. The net tore a shallow cut across the hero’s cheek, the black coloured poison turning a tinged red. He hadn’t known that someone so barbaric, so torturously terrible could exist; once again he wished that he had never been born half god.  

Polybotes let out a guffawing laugh, disturbing the quietness of the sea. He strapped the trident in his hand onto a belt around his waist, and he leaned forward as if to peer down at the boy below. Basilisks fell from his discoloured hair, landing around the net as guardians of the prison.

“Son of Poseidon, I still don’t understand what is so mighty and daring about you. I will admit that you have caused me an ample amount of trouble, but to no worry, my revenge begins now.” The giant said, roaring into Percy’s face. The boy himself continued choking, his movements becoming slow and sluggish. “Just know that this journey will be  _ very _ painful- I can’t wait for the real fun to begin!”

_ “Erre es korakas.”  _ Percy began to laugh, trying to not choke on the poison that had already begun killing him. He pushed past the pain, and held up his dignity for the last time. “You can’t tear my spirit down.”

Another breathy guffaw flew from Polybotes’ mouth, and he waved his hand through the poison to dissipate it. “We’ll see how that goes; you’ll wish you had never been born.”

-

A sob tore through Percy’s throat as he lay on the ocean floor, still trapped under the hangings of the net. His whole body ached in a way he had never known possible, and the many tears in his skin prickled in pain.

Polybotes had left for a reprieve; a need to eat and satiate his hunger. That left Percy alone to wallow in tears of grief that could not be seen- they whirled away in the currents as if they had never existed.

Maybe he  _ did  _ deserve all this anguish- hadn’t he been the cause of so much pain to so many people? All those dead, and all the monsters torn down- because of  _ him. _ It wasn’t he who was the hero of the first Prophecy- that had been Luke. Annabeth, Bob and Damasen had been the ones who led them out of Tartarus, and heck, he’d drowned- something he never thought possible- while Hazel had been left to save him. Perhaps he was more a burden than a helping hand, and perhaps this was Fate’s way of giving back the pain he had caused.

Percy had stopped fighting the pain that was delivered to him, giving up on an escape attempt- it was futile. The demigod had been relinquished to the hands of a madman in need of revenge, and there was no hope left for him now.

His spirit had been broken, and his heart shattered beyond compare.

A quaked shiver ran down Percy’s spine as he heard the torturous laughter ring through the coral, the heavy footsteps pounding the ground beneath him. The giant came into view, his gaze unbroken as he stared down at the crushed boy that lay curled up beneath him. More lime- green basilisks escaped the hair floating around Polybotes’ head, and their crowns fluttered as they hissed in anticipation. It was as if they could sense the torturous activities about to take place.

The demigod began to choke once more, as the water around him turned black with poison.

\---

Annabeth grew worried after Percy hadn’t come back from the ocean that surrounded Camp Half- Blood. Normally they were quick fixes, what with the almost insignificant problems the fish and other mythical creatures had, but it was now nightfall. The daughter of Athena sat with her siblings at the Dining Pavilion, them having forced her to eat something. Annabeth played with her food, pushing the meat from one end of the plate to the other.

This whole Percy- goes- missing business was becoming a situation that continually grew more and more frequent as time passed. Annabeth was sick of having Percy being a tool for the gods to use at whim, with little to no thought of his- or her- wellbeing. A loud sigh escaped her downturned lips, and her eyes turned dark with worry. Grover flashed her a knowing look- he too, had lost his best friend. With his satyr abilities intact, he could feel the inner turmoil raging through Annabeth, her emotions like strong tendrils sending out distraught messages.

Standing up, the daughter of Athena pushed her way through the crowd, and went to sit by the canoe-lake. She took off her shoes, and let her feet sink into the water; wishing Percy could be sitting there with her. The night air was quiet, disturbed only by the sounds of whooshing leaves, and heavy footfalls as people moved behind her.

Turning her trained eyes back the way she came, she saw four figures walking towards her, their outlines hidden beneath the darkness. The group of them came and sat by her, closing Annabeth in from the sides; warmth radiated from their body heat and a small  _ splash _ could be heard, as they too, let their feet rest in the water.

“Annabeth,” Piper said, enclosing her friend’s hand within hers. She looked up at the daughter of Aphrodite, and Annabeth lay her head on her shoulder.

His arms having encircled Piper, Jason struggled turned to face his distraught friend. “Trust in Percy, Annabeth. He’s gone missing before, and we  _ will _ find him again. I promise you.”

“We’ll find him, Annabeth,” Malcolm said, turning to face his crestfallen half-sister. “It’s Percy- he could never stay too long away from you if he tried.”

“I hope you’re right- it’s just happening way too often for my liking. We’re meant to be going to college  _ together _ , and we can’t go together if there’s only the one of us.” Annabeth muttered, refusing to look her brother and friends in the eye.

The daughter of Athena leapt out of the water, kicking the dirt as she abruptly stood up. She picked up her shoes that lay beside her feet, and turned around towards the cabins. A light was glowing from the hearth that lay in the centre, and Annabeth began walking towards it. The door of the Athena cabin slammed as she stomped through the cabin, wringing the dirt from her clothes. Her shoes were thrown in the trunk haphazardly, as she lay down on her own bed, rustling the blankets and ignoring the questioning looks from fellow siblings.

Annabeth’s mind stayed awake as her eyes began to sleep, but the power of Hypnos won over.

Nightmares plagued Annabeth as she slept, her demigod dreams even worse than normal- if that was even possible. A boy lay at the bottom of what she assumed was the ocean, a tattered t-shirt and shorts laying across his frame. A golden net was tangled around his unmoving form, and black water seemed to be moving around him. Every time the black, inky tendrils made contact with the boy’s form, his body shuddered and twitched. Annabeth willed the dream to let her move forward, and she took place next to the tangled prison. Next to the boy lay a blade, Riptide- close enough that it would not reappear in his pockets, but far enough away that it could not be reached.

Turning around, Annabeth took in her surroundings. Standing near the boy was a dark figure, his shadows seemingly stretching on and on. His scaly legs were shadowy and murky in the darkness, and the mauled animals on his chest plate looked more menacing than ever. A large trident was held in the giant’s hand, and his face seemed to be staring straight into Annabeth’s. A nasty smirk grew wider over his face, and his eyes flashed in untold glee.

 

“Try as you might, daughter of Athena, but you will  _ never _ be with him again.”

A spasm of shock passed over Annabeth’s face, but her steely resolve took dominance once again. Her stormy grey eyes flashed in anger, and a deep, burning hatred began to fill every fibre of her being.

“It is you, who will need to try- for I  _ will _ find you and I  _ will _ destroy you.” Annabeth turned to face her boyfriend, her emotions still running on a deep inner turmoil.

_ I need to save him _ , Annabeth thought, staring down at a seriously troubled Percy below.

The image began to fade, and a mop of blonde hair entered her sight of vision. His stormy grey eyes were troubled, and a distraught look was blatantly featured across his face.

“Annabeth,” he murmured. “You need to wake up.”

“Malcolm?” Annabeth replied, her body tense on high- alert. “What’s wrong?”

“You were thrashing around with you drakon- bone sword in hand. You almost stabbed me at one point. Are you okay?”

“I need to find Grover; I need to see if he can contact Percy.”

Malcolm nodded his head, picking up a torch that lay on the desks on the other side of the room, shuffling around so as to not waking the others that were asleep. Annabeth tied on her shoes, and quickly rearranged the mess of hair that lay on her head. The two siblings quietly left the cabin, sneaking around to avoid the harpies; dashing through trees and behind different buildings. A quick opening came to pass, and both Annabeth and Malcolm ran through the camp and into the forest, keeping a distinctive watch for their wardens. They found Grover laying in the depths of the woods, staring up at the stars above. His head turned towards the two blonde-headed siblings, sitting up to face them as they sat down to join him.

“Have you contacted him?” Annabeth asked, her voice soft in the night air. Grover’s face downturned, a small frown furrowing his brows.

“I’ve tried, Annabeth. It’s not good.” Grover muttered, refusing to look his friend in the face.

“Spit it out,” Annabeth hissed, venom lacing her voice. She seemed to realise how she had cracked, a look of tender affection shaping her face. “Sorry.”

“I know it’s hard, but I  _ have _ tried. He couldn’t talk much; there was just so much pain.”

Annabeth’s face fell, her eyes becoming foggy and her mouth downturned. A small gasp fell from her lips, but her steely resolve won over once more. “We  _ will _ find him, even if it’s the last thing I do.”

\---

Three days.

 

Percy had lain at the bottom of the ocean for three days, his body now weak and sluggish. His clothes hung off his too- skinny frame, and his skin had turned almost translucent looking when the sun glared down at him. Brand new slashes and punctures glittered across his skin, the blood having been washed away by the flowing currents of water. A sharp, deep incision laced across from his right shoulder to left hip- a punishment for an attempt at escaping. Percy may have been fragile and broken, but the thought of his distraught girlfriend, mother and friends had given him a burst of unknown adrenaline that had raged through his system.

Polybotes had more than happily enough newly branded his chained enemy for even attempting an escape.

The son of Poseidon was now shattered beyond compare, and the poison was not even able to fully leave his system- the torturous toxins always within him. Percy was constantly grappling with attempts to find clean fluids he could breathe in, but it would be to no avail- Polybotes had given him no chances for a reprieve.

To speak of the devil was not even a commonplace for Percy anymore- his torturer was always nearby, always slowly and painfully killing him. Polybotes earlier words to Jason had spoken true;  _ Your friend will take a long time to die. After all the trouble he’s caused me, I wouldn’t dream of killing him quickly. _

The constant noxious clouds were leaving Percy always feeling nauseous and sick, the toxins very slowly killing him.

A sharp echo was heard around the reef, as Percy’s blade was pulled from the entrapments it was held in. Polybotes had taken Riptide, and began pulling the net away from the ill boy below. The giant held the sword at Percy’s throat when the golden prison was torn away, stopping the demigod from moving, otherwise it would be his imminent death. The son of Poseidon hadn’t even let the thought of another breakout pass, his body too weak from malnourishment and lack of movement.

“I’m never one to gloat about my prey, but I believe it’s an excellent time to take a visit to your friends. What do you say, son of Poseidon?” Polybotes asked, flicking Percy across the throat with his own blade. He didn’t reply to the giant’s demands, his nature stubborn and yet not always preserving.

Polybotes grew irritated, slicing across his enemy’s cheek.  _ “What do you say, son of Poseidon?” _

“You cannot destroy me by showing me a field of hope, I have them all to live for,” Percy croaked out, his voice breaking from lack of use.

“Who said it was you I was going to destroy?” Polybotes laughed thickly, positioning the blade across the boy’s sternum.

He began to move the sword point across Percy’s front, tracing shimmering red letters. The pain was unbearable, seemingly as if his soul was being ripped straight from his very being. Blood furled through the water, staining the darkness red. Percy could feel the letters being written, following the gaze of Polybotes- his mangled body reflected in the giant’s eyes.  _ Mine _ , the desolate slashes read, blood still billowing forth from the wounds.

Polybotes picked up Percy as if he weighed nothing, and shoved him back into the entrapments of the net. The golden threads were held together like a burlap sack, with the demigod trapped within like a fox caught in a snare. Riptide was stowed away in Polybotes’ chest plate, keeping it close enough that it would not need to reappear in Percy’s pocket. The monster himself began to wade through the water, taking a fairly long journey back to shore while carrying the bundle behind him. The inconsistent steps continued to jostle Percy, opening up the wounds that hadn’t properly healed over. His eyes could barely open from the unbearable pain; his limbs aching in anguish.

A darkness clouded his mind, a struggle to make sense of what was happening around him. All the Son of Poseidon could feel was the distinguished torment that travelled through his whole body, the water no longer being able to heal his soul- deep wounds. A grunt flew from his mouth as the giant caused the bundled net to crash into some coral, yet he could not see- his eyes were screwed shut to the world. The stygian depths of the ocean were all Percy could remember, no longer capable of visualising the chartreuse coloured grass or the dazzling rainbows when a storm passes through the sky.

Percy knew not how long they had been walking- wading- for, only that it had been a very arduous journey. His blood flowed freely around him, tingeing the already deep blue sea a lacklustre purple, while his cuts stung from the salt that gathered in his pores. The sea grew brighter as they walked slowly further, the sunrays deepening and lightening the inky waters. Schools of fish danced to and fro as they continued the voyage, their tails and fins waving in quiet astonishment at the sight of the hero trapped in the folds of the net. Percy let out a soft groan as he once again crashed into a frightfully large rock, the rough surface marring his once tan skin. He did not wish to give Polybotes any satisfaction at his pain, but it could not be helped.

The water, Percy noticed, gradually seemed to grow shallower and shallower, the sand below him twinkling in the sunlight. It gave him hope that he may be able to finally leave his salty confines, but not entirely a probable- he would be under a careful scrutiny from his enemy. With the little strength he had, the son of Poseidon lifted his head and gazed at the sky, or what little could be seen from this depth. A small smile graced Percy’s chapped lips as he saw the lighter blue above, as well as the great, gleaming ball of gas. His eyes began to close in agony, his body holding no strength.

The son of the sea god was going to die, and he knew it would be very soon.

-

A dishevelled Percy woke once more to find that he could see the shore of a beach from where he lay trapped, his body finally above the water. He breathed in a sigh of relief of being out of his watery prison, but almost wished he hadn’t as he caught sight of the giant’s face. A smirk had broken out across his discoloured face, and he began to laugh.

“I never thought I’d see the day when a sea spawn would prefer to be on land than water.” The giant said, swinging around the golden net. “Not to worry, we’ll be seeing your friends soon. After that, the finale begins.”

Percy had no clue as to what Polybotes had meant, the pain taking the main hold over his body and mind. The monster shifted the mesh and bundle that was Percy to lay over his shoulder, rather than dragging him across the water top. The demigod grew worried about what state his friends would be in; he had no idea if they were okay, or whether they were even still alive. Even though it had only been three days; who knows what could have happened? 

 

No, he had to believe his family would be safe.

A hollow thrashing sound progressively intensified as the wind grew in breadth, whipping Percy in the face as he lay in the confinements befitted to him. He struggled to readjust himself, so as to let the gale lash around his behind, rather than at him. A shudder ran through the demigod as he began to freeze; the ripped t-shirt and shorts held no shelter to the forces of nature. Slowly, but swiftly, the two enemies reached the glittering shore. Polybotes’ steps grew longer on the dryer land, not having to wade through the dense water, and if it was possible, causing Percy to be jostled around even more. The giant readjusted the luminous bundle, and the demigod was able to properly take in their surroundings.

They were on the Long Island shore; Percy was  _ home _ .

Imprinting deep footsteps into the grainy sand, Polybotes walked along the coast and around the property line. They went through fireworks beach, and the son of Poseidon swore he could see the burn marks where one of Leo’s experiments had completely gone off its rocket- in a literal sense. A stab of pain in his many wounds caused the demigod to curl up in attempt to cause himself to go numb, small gasps escaping his mouth. Clear air helped to settle the pangs of anguish that continued to rattle his body, the toxins from the poison still shuddering within his system. Percy closed his eyes, wishing he was on the other side of the boundary line, rather than shuddering in his body’s torture.

It hardly seemed to take anytime at all, and Polybotes had reached Half Blood Hill, Thalia’s tree glittering off not far away. Percy heard the shrilling sound of a conch horn being blown, accompanied by the palpable pounding of footsteps. A worn and recognisable voice rang through all the noise, strong and firm as a leader.

“Who goes there?” Clarisse yelled, aiming her electric spear- Percy knew at once- at the giant as he came closer to the boundary. “Lower your weapon or I will not hesitate to fight you.”

“Brave words, young demigod. However, you do not have a god on your side to kill me,” the giant said, stashing Percy away within his fist, muffling all forms of sound. “It is I, Polybotes. You may know me also know me as the feeder- of- many, or perhaps the anti- Poseidon.”

Percy wished he could see the faces of his family, even if it was just a glimpse before his life would be ended. Mutterings rose forth from the group of half-bloods, and another voice joined Clarisse’s- the cabin counsellors issuing orders for everyone to fall back and prepare themselves in their cabins. The stampede of people grew quieter as many left, the son of Poseidon straining to hear what little he could.

“We destroyed you; sent you back to Tartarus the hard way,” Jason said, his voice cutting out the rest.

“If you do not remember, son of Jupiter, there is a most wondrous contraption down there- the Doors of Death.” Polybotes said. “My brethren were not so lucky, they are still down there and biding their time until I can set them free once more.”

“Then why are you here?” Piper said, her voice steely. “We are not afraid of a fight, and will find a god to help destroy you.”

“How wise your words speak, but you would not do well to start an argument while I have leverage.” Percy knew that he was the leverage Polybotes had. He began to strain within his confinements, attempting to find escape with the giant’s tight fist. A shaky laugh blew forth from his mouth as the demigod struggled, and his grip on the bundle grew faulty. “Would you wish to see what I have brought you? Drop your weapons and I’ll see what I can do.”

“How do we know we can believe you?”

“You can’t.”

A distinct  _ thud _ vibrated the earth as the weapons dropped to the ground, and Percy grew worried. No, he thought, as he too fell to the grassy plains below. A deep groan was let out from his mouth as the tangled net cut into his many lacerations and wounds, and blood mingled with the sweat that covered his body in a shining layer. Percy could hear the many gasps of his fellow demigods, and few strained  _ oh’s _ .

“Behold, the great Perseus Jackson.”

\---

Annabeth wished her life could be normal. Percy and her could have met in high school and lived free of worry, but that was not to be; there he lay on the ground in the large shadow of a giant, wounds covering every inch of his skin. She took in the way his skin was pale and clammy, and the fact that it was a mottled green in some places.  _ Poison _ , her perception cleared for her as she continued to scan her terribly ruined boyfriend.

“Percy…” she muttered, her head hung low. She knew it would not be wise to be run forward and grab him, but how she wished to take him into her arms. The daughter of Athena could see the pained demigod attempt to raise his head at the sound of her voice, but it loudly hit the ground once more. “Let him go, Polybotes, he is not yours.”

“Tut tut, Annabeth Chase; I thought you of all people would be wise enough to know that I always mark what belongs to me.” Polybotes said, bending over to pick up Percy. Shaking the golden entrapments from the broken demigod, the giant lifted him up to show them the slashes written across his front.  _ Mine _ , the words glittered in the blazing sunlight, the blood dripping from the reopened wounds. Annabeth watched as her boyfriend was dropped back to the ground, and a pang was sent through her heart at the sound of his groaning. “Now that we have that little issue over, I am going to use him and one of you to reawaken my brothers and sisters. I do not wish for history to repeat itself again, so if one of you daughters do not come quietly, I could use some  _ persuasive _ techniques.”

Annabeth widened her mouth open in shock, and instinctively began to walk forward. A firm hand on shoulder stopped her progress, and she looked up to see Clarisse there, shaking her head. Sensing her hesitation, Polybotes grinned menacingly, pulling out a wickedly familiar sword, Riptide. The sun shone down upon its blade, the inscriptions upon it lighting up for all to see. Pressing the weapon to the demigod at his feet, the giant stabbed its point through his shoulder, Percy’s screams echoing for all to hear.

“No!” Annabeth yelled, her eyes flashing daggers at the monster’s gigantic form. “Leave him  _ alone _ !”

A rumbling startled the daughter of Athena from behind her, and the pounding of horse hooves regained her thoughts. She turned to find Chiron coming up from the camp below, with Grover on his back and Dionysus to his side. The centaur had his bow drawn forth, aiming at the heart of the enemy, while Mr. D looked blatantly bored, as per usual.

“Percy, oh dear.” Chiron muttered, his tail swishing in sympathy. Turning to face the god at his side, the centaur began to speak. “Can you do nothing to help the boy?”

“Of course I could,” Dionysus said, swirling the coke that glittered in his hand. “They would have to prove their worth first of course.”

Annabeth looked downhearted. If it was a fight the two immortals wanted, a fight they would get. She faced the demigods by her sides- Leo, Jason, Piper, Clarisse, as well as Grover- nodding her head in a gesture of pain. They all seemed to understand her meaning and readied themselves for the battle against the giant.

As a readied legion, the demigods ran forward, picking up their weapons along the way. Polybotes himself began to move forward, stepping over the body of Percy as he lay not moving, and took his weapon from his side. A crackle of lightning thundered in the sky, and its threads struck as an electric blue. Annabeth swung her drakon- bone sword in a dangerous arch, coming into contact with the giant’s side. She could feel her family fighting by her side, all their weapons  _ clashing _ and  _ clanking _ as they all hit home.

The leaves of the surrounding trees fluttered in a faint breeze, and began to pick up in their endeavours as Jason controlled the air around them. The shimmering ball of gas above shone down upon their tanned backs, eliciting the freckles and sunspots that already lay there. Sweat began to form on all their skin, the dripping moisture sticking to their warm bodies. A crash reverberated as the son of Jupiter was thrown backwards, his head hitting the earth. He didn’t get up, his mind and body out cold.

Annabeth struggled to keep going, her body lethargic as they began to pick up the pace even more after being a man down. Her hair was matted and frizzy, its curls splayed out like a fan as the ponytail holding it together became loose. Stormy grey eyes stabbed daggers at the daughter of Athena’s enemy, her spirit slowly decreasing as the fight continued. Turning to take a look at her friends, Annabeth could see all of them fighting valiantly- except for Jason who lay unconscious-  _ and was that an elephant _ ?

Then everything seemed to fall into slow motion. Annabeth could hear people screaming her name, and then a deep groaning as the son of Poseidon began to lift himself from the ground. He screamed as he pulled his sword from his shoulder, and heaved himself over in a sluggish run. She began to turn around, and she noticed an extremely large foot heading her way. Her reflexes were not fast enough, and she could feel the way her head would almost be caving in on itself. Taking a deep breath, Annabeth saw a blurry figure run in front of her and push her to the ground, shoving her out of the way of the giant. Looking up, as she pulled her sword from her side, and noticed Percy in his weakened state, shoving his own blade into the giant’s foot. He was not, however, fast enough from all his sustained injuries, and had a foot heavily connect with his face.

“ _ No _ !” Annabeth yelled, watching as Grover made his way over to their fallen friend. The son of Poseidon had landed on the roots of Thalia’s tree, as his head hit the base with a sickening crack.

Facing the giant, Annabeth’s resolve steeled. She let out a guttural scream, and ran forward with her sword aimed at the giant’s heart. The blade ran through Polybotes’ chest plate and into his heart; although not dead, he was momentarily stunned.

“Alright, alright,” Dionysus muttered from behind them. Waving his hand and snapping his fingers, the god brought forth vines of grapes from the ground. The plants around the monster’s feet slowly grew, flourishing up to cover his whole body. With one last flourish each, the demigods each shoved their blades into Polybotes, and he shattered into golden dust.

Annabeth ran over to Percy and cradled his head within the folds of her arms. His body was still as she cried softly, her tears falling onto his own face from hers. The sun shone down on them as if a symbol of hope, their Fate to hopefully be left alone. The grass was uncomfortable beneath the two of them, but the demigod did not care.

“Annabeth?” Piper whispered, pulling her friends head and cuddling it between her shoulders. The daughter of Athena could only shake her head, her body convulsing in sadness.

They were both broken and were not okay, but they were in it together. 


End file.
